Device for supporting the last on a toe lasting machine

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device for supporting the last in a toe lasting machine in which the last, with its sole facing down, is supported on a last support and is held with its heel portion on a heel support carrier which can be adjusted to the length of the last and has an abutment face more or less adapted or adaptable to the shape of the heel portion. To prevent tipping moments from acting on the last during lasting, provision is made for the mounting of the heel support carrier to enable it to pivot relative to the last support about an axis which is vertically below the last support. This pivot axis is substantially parallel to the support plane of the last support for the last and is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the heel support carrier holding a last which is clamped for a toe lasting operation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a device for supporting the last in a toelasting machine during the lasting operation with its sole facing down.The last is carried on a last support and is held with its heel portionon a heel support carrier which can be adjusted to the length of thelast and which has an abutment face which can be adapted to the shape ofthe heel portion.

In such support devices, a force acts on the last during the lasting,preferably in a longitudinal direction so that the force will beabsorbed by the heel support. The last support is usually moved in thedirection of the heel portion and a force acts upon the last due to theload applied by the wipers on the tip of the last. This load between thetip on the last and the heel portion of the last creates a moment thattends to tip the last upward. Attempts were made to counteract thisdisadvantageous tipping moment by an appropriate geometric formation ofthe abutment face of the heel support abutting the heel portion of thelast, but this has not always been satisfactory.

Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide adevice for supporting the last on a toe lasting machine in such a waythat the tipping moment during the lasting is largely avoided.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to mount the heel support carrier in sucha way that it can pivot about an axis which is substantially parallel tothe supporting plane of the surface of a last support in contact withthe sole of a last at the tip end thereof and the axis is substantiallyperpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the heel support carrierholding at last gripped by a chuck. This allows the heel support carrierto always be adjusted substantially parallel to the force acting uponthe last during lasting, so that the tipping moment is largely avoided.In addition, adjustment of the angular position of the heel supportcarrier corresponding to the line of force acting upon the last helpsassure that the height of the heel support need not be adjusted forlasts of different sizes as long as the line of force remains the same.This results in a considerable simplification of the lasting operation.

The axis about which the heel support carrier can be pivoted ispositioned vertically below the last support in the immediate proximityof the tip of the last. In this way, the inclination of the heel supportcarrier can be adapted to the direction of the force on the last in themost simple manner.

Preferably, the heel support carrier can be clamped in a predeterminedangular position in relation to the last support. To this end, the heelsupport carrier can, for example, be adjusted by means of a spindle, orit can be adjusted and clamped upon a support arm secured to the machineby means of a slot in a part of the heel support carrier and a clampinglever screwed on a bolt extending from the support arm through the slot.

Advantageously, a dial is assigned to the angular position of the heelsupport carrier with which the heel support carrier can be set to apredetermined line of force acting upon the last during the lastingoperation. Preferably, this dial is mounted on a part of the heelsupport carrier which also has the slot.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the heel support on the heelsupport carrier is adjusted substantially parallel to the force actingin the longitudinal direction of the last during the lasting. Adjustmentof the heel support is performed by moving the heel support along theheel support carrier by means of a motor designed, for example, as apropeller pitch-operating cylinder.

Advantageously, a slide connected to the heel support is mounted on theheel support carrier. The slide is designed essentially as alongitudinal member, so that it can move in a longitudinal direction.

A provision can also be made for mounting the heel support on the heelcarrier in a way which allows vertical adjustment of the heel supportwith respect to the heel support carrier, such that the heel support canbe placed in the best possible position in relation to the heel portionof the last.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will bebetter understood from the following description in conjunction with theaccompaying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a last support embodying theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the different directions of the lineof force acting on the last during the lasting for two lasts of the samedimensions which are gripped between a stop and a heel supportdifferently.

FIG. 3 shows substantially the same direction of the force for two lastswith different dimensions, but gripped between a stop and a heel supportin the same manner.

FIG. 4 shows a section through the heel support carrier taken along theline I--I in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the supporting device depicted in the figures, at last 1 is supportedby a last support 3 with the sole of a tip end of a last lying in asupporting plane E. The last 1 abuts with its tip 7 on a stop 14, and aheel support 6 with an abutment face 21, adapted or adaptable to theshape of the heel portion 4, is placed on the heel portion 4 of thelast. One or more grippers 15 are shown ahead of the tip 7 of the last,with which the leg of a shoe upper is pulled out over the last 1 at thelower edge thereof before the lasting edge is last by the wipers 16.

During lasting, a force acts on the last, preferably in the longitudinaldirection K. This force is absorbed by the heel support 6. The heelsupport is made up of a stationary part and a part forming the abutmentface 21. The part forming the abutment face is pivotable about ahorizontal axis and is mounted on a heel support carrier 5 which extendsin the longitudinal direction of the last 1. The heel support is alsoadjustable vertically by means of a threaded bolt 22 onto which isscrewed a machine knob 17 with a female thread so as to enable the heelsupport 6 to be clamped at a given height setting on a projection 18.

The heel support carrier 5, designed as a longitudinal member (see FIG.4) is hinged at its front end on a swivel bearing 20 secured to amachine frame which enables the heel support carrier 5 to pivot about ahorizontal axis A which is parallel to plane E and perpendicular to thelongitudinal direction of the heel support carrier. Viewed in thelongitudinal direction of the heel support carrier 5, the axis A liesvertically below the last support 3 in the immediate proximity of thetip 7 of the last, so that the longitudinal axis of the heel supportcarrier 5 can be simply set substantially parallel to the direction K ofthe force acting on the last 1. To this end, the heel support carrier 5can be adjusted in angular position by means of a part 23 with anarcuate slot 8 extending in a swivel direction of the heel supportcarrier 5. A threaded bolt 24 is mounted on a support arm 10, which issecured to the machine, and the bolt 24 extends through the slot 8 inparts 23. A clamping lever 9 is screwed onto the threaded bolt 24,whereby the heel support carrier 5 can be clamped in a preselectedangular position in relation to the last support 3. The part 23 carriesa dial 11, which indicates the angular position of the heel supportcarrier 5 in relation to a mark affixed to the machine.

A slide 13 is mounted to move in a recess 26 of the heel support carrier5. The vertically protruding projection 19, to which is attached theheel support 6, is mounted on the slide 13 which allows the heel supportto be moved toward and away from the last support 3. The longitudinalmovement of the slide 13 allows the heel support to be adapted to thesize of the last 1. Movement of slide 13 is effected by means of a motor12 which, in the example shown, is designed as a hydraulic or pneumaticpropeller pitch-operating cylinder, attached at its rear end to the rearend of the heel support carrier 5 and at its front end to the front endof the slide 13.

FIG. 2 illustrates the different directions of the line of force K₁ andK₂ for the two lasts 1₁ and 1₂ upon which the forces due to lasting actdifferently. By means of the novel arrangement of the swivel bearing onthe heel support carrier 5, the heel support carrier 5 can be adjustedsubstantially parallel to the direction of force corresponding to theorientation of the last due to gripping between the stop 14 and the heelsupport 6 so that tipping moments on the last 1 are largely avoidedduring lasting. Due to the angular adjustment of the heel supportcarrier 5 to correspond with the direction of the force caused bylasting, a separate vertical adjustment of the heel support 6 isunnecessary when changing from one last to another having the same sizebut with a different orientation due to clamping.

FIG. 3 shows that the direction K of the force acting on the lastremains essentially the same for lasts 1₁ and 1₂ of differing sizes butgripped between the stop 14 and the heel support 6 in identical fashion.Therefore, the angular position of the heel support carrier 5 does nothave to be changed when exchanging one last for another last having adifferent size but wiped in the same manner. The heel support 6 ismerely adjusted to the heel portion 4 of the last 1 by means of themotor 12.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for supporting a last on a toe lastingmachine comprising:last support means, adapted to be supported on alasting machine frame, said last support means for supporting a lastnear the tip end thereof with a sole portion of the last facing in adownward direction, said last support means having a support surfaceextending in a plane; and heel support means adapted to be supported onthe lasting machine frame, said heel support means including a heelsupport carrier which extends in a longitudinal direction, said heelsupport means further including a heel support, said heel support havingan abutment face which is shaped to substantially the shape of a heelportion of the last, said heel support being mounted for movement alongsaid heel support carrier towards and away from said last support meansfor adjustment of the distance between said last support means and saidheel support, said heel support carrier being pivotable about an axis,said axis being vertically below said last support means, said axisbeing parallel to said plane and said axis being perpendicular to saidlongitudinal direction of said heel support carrier, whereby said heelsupport carrier may be pivoted to an angular position such that saidheel support is substantially parallel to a force acting in alongitudinal directon of the last during a lasting operation.
 2. Thedevice of claim 1, wherein said heel support carrier includes means tofix said heel support carrier in a desired angular position relative tosaid last support means.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein said heelsupport carrier further includes spindle means for fixing said heelsupport carrier in a desired angular position.
 4. The device of claim 1,wherein said heel support carrier includes means for fixing the angularposition of said heel support carrier, said fixing means including apart on said heel support carrier, said part having an arcuate slotreceiving a threaded bolt which is adapted to be fixedly attached to thelasting machine frame, said fixing means further including a clampinglever screwed on said bolt for clamping said part and thereby clampingsaid heel support carrier in a preselected angular position.
 5. Thedevice of claim 1, further comprising dial means for indicating theangular position of said heel support carrier, said dial means havingmarks which correspond to different angular positions of said heelsupport carrier relative to said last support means.
 6. The device ofclaim 5, wherein said dial means is disposed on a part which extendsfrom said heel support carrier.
 7. The device of claim 1, furthercomprising motor means for adjusting the distance between said heelsupport and said last support means, said motor means being disposed onsaid heel support carrier, whereby said heel support is adjustablesubstantially parallel to the directon of a force acting in thelongitudinal direction of the last held by said last support means andsaid heel support means during a lasting operation.
 8. The device ofclaim 1, further including a slide fixedly attached to said heel supportand movably mounted on said heel support carrier, whereby said heelsupport is slidable in the longitudinal direction of said heel supportcarrier.
 9. The device of claim 1, further comprising means foradjusting the distance between said heel support and said heel supportcarrier, whereby said heel support can be placed in a suitable positionin relation to the heel portion of the last.
 10. A device for supportinga last on a toe lasting machine comprising:last support means, adaptedto be supported on a lasting machine frame, for supporting a last nearthe tip end thereof with a sole portion of the last facing in a downwarddirection, said last support means having a support surface extending ina plane; heel support means adapted to be supported on the lastingmachine frame, said heel support means including a heel support carrierwhich extends in a longitudinal direction, said heel support meansfurther including a heel support, said heel support having an abutmentface which is shaped to substantially the shape of a heel portion of thelast, said heel support being mounted for movement along said heelsupport carrier towards and away from said last support means foradjustment of the distance between said last support means and said heelsupport, said heel support carrier being pivotable about an axis, saidaxis being vertically below said last support means, said axis beingparallel to said plane and said axis being perpendicular to saidlongitudinal direction of said heel support carrier; means for fixingthe angular position of said heel support carrier, said fixing meansincluding a part on said heel support carrier, said part having anarcuate slot receiving a threaded bolt which is adapted to be fixedlyattached to the lasting machine frame, said fixing means furtherincluding a clamping lever screwed on said bolt for clamping said partand thereby clamping said heel support carrier in a preselected angularposition; and motor means for adjusting the distance between said heelsupport and said last support means, said motor means being disposed onsaid heel support carrier; whereby said heel support may be movedlongitudinally along said heel support carrier and said heel supportcarrier may be pivoted to an angular position such that the heel supportis substantially parallel to a force acting in a longitudinal directionof the last during a lasting operation.
 11. A device for supporting alast on a toe lasting machine comprising:last support means, adapted tobe supported on a lasting machine frame, for supporting a last near thetip end thereof with a sole portion of the last facing in a downwarddirection, said last support means having a support surface extending ina plane; heel support means adapted to be supported on the lastingmachine frame, said heel support means including a heel support carrierwhich extends in a longitudinal direction, said heel support meansfurther including a heel support, said heel support having an abutmentface which is shaped to substantially the shape of a heel portion of thelast, said heel support being mounted for movement along said heelsupport carrier towards and away from said last support means foradjustment of the distance between said last support means and said heelsupport, said heel support carrier being pivotable about an axis, saidaxis being vertically below said last support means, said axis beingparallel to said plane and said axis being perpendicular to saidlongitudinal direction of said heel support carrier; means for fixingthe angular position of said heel support carrier, said fixing meansincluding a part on said heel support carrier, said part having anarcuate slot receiving a threaded bolt which is adapted to be fixedlyattached to the lasting machine frame, said fixing means furtherincluding a clamping lever screwed on said bolt for clamping said partand thereby clamping said heel support carrier in a preselected angularposition; a slide, said slide being movably mounted on said heel supportcarrier and said heel support being fixedly attached to said slide;motor means for adjusting the distance between said heel support andsaid last support means, said motor means being disposed on said heelsupport carrier and connected to said slide for moving said slide alongthe longitudinal directon of said heel support carrier; and means foradjusting the distance between said heel support and said heel supportcarrier; whereby said heel support may be moved longitudinally alongsaid heel support carrier and said heel support carrier may be pivotedto an angular position such that the heel support is substantiallyparallel to a force acting in a longitudinal direction of the lastduring a lasting operation.